Terials



T.- G. WALKER.

Beat Machine.

Patented Feb. 8, 1870.

N. PEIERS, Plwwmhn m her. Walhinglon. D.C.

stain-fl sat.

t it

Letters Patent No. 99,7 33, dated February 8, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXPBLLING VOLATILE MATTER FROM PHAT AND OTHER JEA- TERIALS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS GEORGE WALKER, of the city and Stateof New York, have invented and made anew and useful Improvement in Expellin g Volatile Matter from Peat, Clay, and other Substances; and the following is declared tqbe acorrectdescription thereof. l i

The object of this invention is to expel moisture from'peat and other materials by a circulating current of steam, induced by a jet ofst-eam from a boiler.

The current of steam is superheated and acts directly upon the material to expel the moisture; the vapors that pass ofi' are employed in heating up the material as itpasses into the apparatus, and the volatilc gaseous matters are conveyed away to the fire of a furnace, and the watery portions are condensed.

By this constant circulation of vapors, a large amount of water or other volatile matter can be separated from peat and other materials with the loss of but little heat.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus, portions,

however, being in section to show the parts more clearly, and

Figure 2 is a general plan.

The steam-boiler a is heated by fire in afurnace, b, and c is the escape flue or chimney for volatile gases and products of combustion.

d is the hopper into which 'the peat or other material is supplied.

f is a cylinder containing a feeding screw, g,'and surrounded with a steam jacket.

The screw g feeds the peat along gradually into the w steaming-vat II, and a .jet of steam issuing from the pipe i comes into contact with the material and, thoroughly warms the same as it falls into the chamber or vat It.

At the lower part of this vat a second screw, it, ,forces the peat out through a nozzle, 7, into a superheated-steam pipe, or, or chamber, in which a rush of steam or current carries the said peat along into the drying or carbonizing chamber n, which also forms a delivery-liopper,'tlic material being pressed out through anozzle by a plunger, 0, that is reciprocated by competent power. l

l remark that the screws gand k are made with the blades that are necessary for forcing along the peat, and said screws areto be revolved with competent power.

The circulation of steam, vapors, andgases through the apparatus is maintained by a jetot steam from the boiler a issuing at 1' into the pipe 3, and drawing the steam and vapors out of the vat h, and forcing them along through the super-heating pipe or coil in the furnace b, to the pipe t, leading to the jet or nozzle i, that directs steam upon the mass ot'peat or other material as it is delivered by the screw g.

In this manner the vat h is kept highlyheated, and

a sufiicient pressure is generated (the vat being closed) to compel a second circulation by the pipe a, extended as a superheat-ing coil or pipe 'u that is in the furnace a, and thence passes to the pipe m afin'esaid.

The steam and vapors ii'onl the drying-chamber a pass by the pipe in to the steam jacket around the cylinder f for the the screw g, so that the cold mate.- rial is thereby warmed, and the steam condensed so as to run away in the form of water to a trap, and overflow at 1:; while the gases and volatile mat-tors evolved from the peat are passed into the furnace by the pipe to to aid in combustion, or they may pass into the chimney c and mingle with the products of coinbustion.

It is to be understood thatthe action of the confined steam, at a high temperatnrein consequence of being superheated, is to vaporizethe water contained in thepeat or other material, and also to liberate the gases and volatile matter from the mass. In this operation the vapors generated from the materials form a'portion oi the circulating current of steam to be superheated, so that there is butlittle steam required from the boiler, that steam producing the circulation.

\Vhen the superheated steam is sufljcieuily hot to carbouize the peat, the gases evolved will be inflammable, and by burning thenrin the furnace will evolve almost all the additional heat required for continuing the carbonization.

\Vhat I claim as my invention. is

1. The circulating current of steam through superheatin'gpipes, in combination with the drying-alumnbers for subjecting peat or other nrtt-erial to the action of the superheated steam, substantially as specified.

2. The cylinder f and steam jacket, in combination with the drying-chamber and connectingpipe, whereby the vapors from the drying-chamber are condensed and made to warm the material as it enters the apparatus, as settorth, 1

3. A. current of superheated steam directed upon the material as it is passed in a layer or reduced form from one vessel iutoanother, tin-depriving the-same of moisture or carbonizing it, substantially as set forth.

Signed December 28, 1869.

'THOS. GEO. WALKER.

Vitnesses Guo. T. PrucKsEY, HAROLD Summon 

